Summary
- Sydney residents now have to wear masks in some public indoor spaces, with a $200 fine for those caught flouting the new rules. The spaces include shopping centres, public transport, entertainment venues, places of worship and salons and gaming areas of establishments.
- Residents of the southern part of Sydney’s northern beaches have been released from lockdown and now come under the broader restrictions that apply to Greater Sydney; those in the northern zone will need to wait another week.
- More exposure sites in suburban and regional Victoria have been added by the health department, including many in the popular coastal holiday spot Lakes Entrance. Victoria recorded 10 new local cases of coronavirus on Saturday as genomic sequencing confirmed the state’s outbreak is linked to Sydney’s northern beaches cluster.
- Western Australia’s acting Premier and Health Minister, Roger Cook, said the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak into Victoria was the direct result of NSW not imposing more hardline measures to control community transmission. His comments followed concerns aired by the Australian Medical Association.
- The Victorian government has apologised for delays at coronavirus testing stations after people reported queueing for hours or getting turned away soon after sites opened on Saturday.
NSW Health upgrades alerts for BWS Berala
NSW Health late on Saturday night upgraded its alert advice for BWS Berala.
Anyone who attended BWS at Berala on the following dates is considered a close contact. They must get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days from last contact regardless of the test result.
The dates are: December 22, 12.41pm-9.15pm; December 23, 1.40pm-9.15pm; December 24, 12.40pm-9.17pm; December 26, 9.55am-7.15pm; December 27, 12.39pm-8.15pm; December 28, 9.30am-7.15pm; December 29, 1.41pm-9.15pm; December 30, 12.45pm-9.15pm; December 31, 8.30am-3pm.
Also affected is the Coffee Club at Stockland Shellharbour. Anyone who visited for an hour or more on Sunday, December 27, between 11.30am and 12.45pm is considered a close contact, must get tested and isolate until receiving further advice, regardless of the test result.
Two other new venues of concern were added to the NSW Health list: The Australian Motor Traders on Haberfield Road from 4.30pm to 5pm on Tuesday and Officeworks Punchbowl from 3.35pm to 3.45pm on the same day.
We have a full report here.
'Manly is back!': MP James Griffin
Following the Saturday announcement that residents of the southern part of the northern beaches were being released from lockdown, Manly MP James Griffin tweeted in celebration: "Manly is back!"
"Great feedback from very excited local business owners who are getting ready to welcome back customers".
The southern part of the northern beaches is today under the same restrictions as Greater Sydney as of midnight last night.
Liberal MP for Manly James Griffin.Credit:Kirk Gilmour
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said yesterday that Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and other ministers were liaising with the chambers of commerce and businesses about providing support to northern beaches businesses in the coming weeks.
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the reason the northern zone was not coming out of lockdown was because of a higher rate of infection given the population density in the area was low.
Read the full story here.
Good morning
Welcome to our live Sunday coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
Here's a quick recap of where we're at today:
- Sydney residents now have to wear masks in some public indoor spaces, with a $200 fine for those caught flouting the new rules. The spaces include shopping centres, public transport, entertainment venues, places of worship and salons and gaming areas of establishments
- Residents of the southern part of Sydney’s northern beaches have been released from lockdown and now come under the broader restrictions that apply to Greater Sydney; those in the northern zone will need to wait another week
- Many Victorians who travelled to NSW are confused and uncertain about their ability to return home. Following the Victorian government's Friday cut-off, travellers who had been in the NSW "red zone" over the Christmas period, which included Greater Sydney, were unable to apply for a border crossing permit
- More exposure sites in suburban and regional Victoria have been added by the health department, including many in the popular coastal holiday spot Lakes Entrance
- Victoria recorded 10 new local cases of coronavirus on Saturday as genomic sequencing confirmed the state's outbreak is linked to Sydney's northern beaches cluster
- Five of the cases are linked to Sydney's Berala cluster and the sixth case is a household contact of the transport worker who acquired their infection from transporting returned travellers at Sydney Airport. The final case is under investigation
- A NSW couple accused of running from officers at Melbourne Airport after being told they would need to quarantine for 14 days have defended their actions. Terry and Debbie Elford – who were found in regional NSW and are each facing a fine of more than $19,000 – have disputed Victorian authorities' allegations they ran from officers after arriving into Melbourne on a flight from Canberra, but said they were "really sorry" over the ordeal
- The Victorian government has apologised for delays at coronavirus testing stations after people reported queueing for hours or getting turned away soon after sites opened on Saturday
Western Australia's acting Premier and Health Minister, Roger Cook, said the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak into Victoria was the direct result of NSW not imposing more hardline measure to control community transmission. Mr Cook said if NSW had "gone harder earlier" in response to the northern beaches outbreak, the virus would not have spread as it has. His comments followed concerns aired by the Australian Medical Association
Stay with us as we follow all today's developments.
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